


The Waves of Mallorca

by Cyaoxo



Series: The Waves of Mallorca [2]
Category: Gymnastics RPF, Sports RPF
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 21:47:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/614703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyaoxo/pseuds/Cyaoxo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prequel to The Sand of Mallorca</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Have you ever heard the sound of a heart breaking? Aliya hadn’t until Viktoria kissed her slowly for what she thought would be the last time. It was sudden, unexpected and left her breathless, but not in the way Vika’s kisses usually did.

It’s ironic how all the romantic cliches she had always heard of became real not at a time of happiness but at one of sadness. With that kiss the time stopped as it never had before, her hands became so sweaty and her mouth so dry that she was unable to do anything while the woman she had loved —since before she understood what love was— walked away from her as if it was the easiest thing to do. 

Maybe it was easy, she thought, maybe to stop loving someone was as easy as it seemed for Vika. But at that moment everything seemed difficult to Aliya. 

The simple act of breathing was no longer natural; her chest seemed constricted as if she had a huge weight over it, and even when she forced her brain to stop repeating Vika’s words over and over again and tried to concentrate on the feel of the slightly smogged air entering trough her mouth and her nose, all she could sense was an invisible barrier that prevented the air from reaching her lungs and drowned her there —on the middle of the street— just as if she was at the bottom of the sea. 

A few tears made their way down her face while she collapsed on the first bench she saw on the way home. Her ears ringed and the world became a silent place. Her eyes barely registered the cars passing and her ears were closed to any external sound as if she was trapped on an endless void.

She doesn’t even remember how she managed to get home. She barely got out of the Vika induced trance when her mother started talking animatedly about how excited she was to finally get to know the name of the mysterious man that had stolen her heart. 

Aliya froze then for the second time on that day. Somehow she had managed to forget that she had promised to tell her mother who she was dating. At the hopeful look on her mother’s face she almost choked on air again. Vika and her where close to having their first anniversary, and she had decided that it was the perfect time to stop hiding and finally tell her parents.

Aliya spend the days after the Olympics dreaming of the day she would take Vika home and hold her hand without worries. She had dreamed of the way her mother would treat Vika as a third daughter, and had laughed at the conflicted face she imagined her father would get —not at the fact she was dating a girl— but because all the years he had spend waiting to give a scary speech to any potential suitor would be wasted. How could he ever dream of threaten sweet, small, cute Vika?

She was so excited that on the days prior to Vika’s arrival she couldn’t contain her giddiness and ended telling her mother that she was very much in love and planning on an official introduction soon. Now she regretted it. 

“Alka? Are you listening to me? Where is the mysterious boyfriend? I am dying to know him.”

“He couldn’t come. His grandfather is ill,” answered Aliya whit a dry tone while mentally chastising herself and thinking that she may have as well told her that a dog ate his homework. Fortunately, her mother seemed to buy the story without question. 

“Oh!! that is awful. But I don’t understand why you insist on hiding him.”

“Mom, you can’t keep a secret to save your life. I will tell you when the interviews stop.”

“That’s not fair, at the rate of interviews were doing you are going to get married and I will not know whit who. Besides you promised to tell me today.”

“It doesn’t matter mom.”

“Of course it matters, you have been acting like a lovesick puppy all week and hugging that polar bear for life every night. Tell me, who is it?”

She doesn’t really know why she did it. Maybe it was because she was tired of her mother’s questions, maybe it was because Vika’s words where still running in her mind, maybe it was because she knew that she could have him with the snap of her fingers if she wanted. Maybe it was just because she wasn’t really thinking clearly, but somehow two syllables that she had rarely heard coming out of her lips before that day, made their way out stomping over her doubts and fears. 

“Pasha. Is Pasha, Mom.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. Why?”

“Oh! nothing, I just expected someone…different. But if he makes you this happy, I am looking forward to meeting him.”

“Maybe some other time…I am going to my room. I feel a little sick.” 

And she did. She felt her stomach turn every time she thought of Vika and the way her body looked smaller with every step she took away from her. How could everything end like this? how could Vika just left her? 

Maybe she had wanted everything too much, maybe she had pushed her. But if Vika wanted to wait, one word would have been enough. Aliya always ended giving Vika everything she wanted; from the small things to the big ones, nothing was ever denied. She would have waited as long as necessary, she would have waited forever.

Aliya keep crying for what felt like days with the white polar bear that Vika had given her as the only company. The material of the plush toy reminded her of the feel of Vika’s soft skin, and when she hugged it, a faint smell of fruits and flowers hit her nose as strong as the day she nestled her face on Vika’s neck for the first time.

At some point the bed shifted next to her. Aliya was so exhausted that for a moment she thought sleep had finally come to claim her for the night, but Vika’s arm embraced her with so much force that her brain realized she was still awake. 

During the day the fact that Vika was supposed to spend the next few days at her home had eluded her, but now, with her warm body pressed against her back, reality crashed back on her. It was going to be torture, but she would get through it.

She could hear Vika’s tears as they made their way down her face to fall on the bed in the small space between their bodies. The voice repeating over and over again that she was sorry seemed so far away, even though the lips saying those words were just a few inches away.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I can’t force you to love me. I can’t force you to be with me. I just can give you everything I am and hope that is enough to keep you here with me.”

“I’m sorry. I love you, I do. This has been the best dream I ever had, but all dreams come to an end and is time for us to wake up. We have to accept that this is not meant to be.”

“Why? Why would we force ourselves to wake up when we can keep building a dream world together? Stay with me and I will make sure nobody ever dares to wake you up.”

“I’m sorry, but as good as it sounds I know that’s not possible. Please, just never forget that I love you.” 

To pretend everything was alright the next morning was one of the hardest thing either of them ever had to do. They tried to keep their friendship as intact as they could, but it was just too hard, and at the end they had to resign themselves to the fact that they needed to be apart. 

They parted ways with a longing glance, an aching heart and Aliya’s last attempt at changing Viktoria’s mind. They reunited a few weeks later with a longing glance, an aching heart and Aliya holding a hand that didn’t really fit hers.

After Aliya’s mother told a journalist about her boyfriend, she had no choice but to call him and let him know what she had gotten him into. He just laughed about it and told her that he was honored to get to be her fake boyfriend. It was a relief for Aliya to have his help and he was a good friend.

Although his arms always seemed too muscled, his chest too big, and his hand too harsh, she appreciated that he had a way of knowing when she was on the verge of breaking down and always seemed to find a way to make her smile. Sometimes with silly jokes, other with complete circus performances, and others, when nothing worked, he would just wrap her on his oversized arms and hold her while she fought the tears that threatened to fall. He never complained, and the most important thing for Aliya, he never asked.

It was weird for her to be on the plane sitting next to him, and not next to Vika as she usually was. It was strange to think that she would be arriving at Mallorca for the first time in almost a year without Vika by her side. Looking out the window she could make the shape of the sand kissing the sea while the plane came closer to its destiny, she wondered which one of those small mounds of land had been the witness of her love. 

A few seats in front of her Vika had her head laying on top of Maria’s shoulder as she slept peacefully. Aliya took the chance to look at her as she did before, without pain or sorrow, just with love and surrendering herself to the warm that always wanted to invade her heart as soon as her eyes fell on Vika.

She felt herself losing the battle against the memories that wanted to drown her. The day she forced Vika to stay out on the beach all night just to see the sunrise by her side, the picnic she prepared in the roof top of the hotel, and the day she stopped worrying about the what ifs and kissed Vika for the first time, and then didn’t stop doing it until the dawn forced them apart.

It all seemed so long ago now, especially with the knowledge of not being allowed to have moments like those with her ever again. 

Vika stirred a little with the sudden movement of the plane but didn’t wake up, their other teammates where all distracted, to excited at the prospect of being on the beach on a few hours. Nobody looked at Aliya, nobody saw her internal battle, the longing on her eyes or the struggle to restrain herself from touching that beautiful face. Nobody, except maybe Maria.

Maria’s eyes met Aliya’s across the filled seats of the plane confusion evident on her face. “Why aren’t you here by her side,” they seemed to ask Aliya. “Take care of her for me,” she answered.


	2. Chapter 2

After a few days in Mallorca Aliya started to suspect that memories are not housed in the head but in the chest, because there was where it hurt when she thought about Vika and their time together.  
  
Everyday Aliya walked along the same path that she remembered from a year before. Her hand would bury itself into the sand as if to remember the heat she used to feel around it on the now distant nights of the summer before.  
  
She had always loved the sea, its unpredictable nature, the inability to control its movement, as if a rebellious spirit had been trapped inside it a long time ago and the only way it had to express itself to the outside world was hitting the rocks and dragging everything on its way to the bottom of the sea.  
  
Maybe that was the reason why, as she laid on the beach and let the waves crash upon her body, sometimes softly, sometimes so hard that she felt herself losing the grip on the sand and on the verge of getting carried away to a world beyond the end of the horizon, peacefulness engulfed her.  
  
Her mind had started to drift away when she felt the shape of a body shadowing her from the warm Mallorcan sun.  
  
“Are you alive?” asked a male voice.  
  
“I don’t know. Do I look alive to you Pasha?”  
  
“Right now you look like someone who forgot the proper way to sunbath.”  
  
He took a seat on the wet sand and put his hand next to hers. He always did that -offered his company and comfort- but letting Aliya take the decision of how much closeness she needed at any given time. This time Aliya choose to keep her hands buried under the sand but straightened herself to be able to look at him while they talked.   
  
“You don’t have to stay here with me. I am fine, just wanted to be alone for a little while.”  
  
The way he moved to find a comfortable position on the sand let her know he intended to stay with her whether she wanted it or not.  
  
“You miss her a lot don’t you?” he asked, ignoring Aliya’s cold stare and the way her body became rigid as soon as he finished speaking.   
  
“Who?” was her biting answer.  
  
He raised his eyebrows a little as if saying “Really, you are trying to pull that off.”  
  
“It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me, but don’t treat me as if I am stupid.”  
  
It was the defeated tone in his voice what made her finally take his hand. It would be the first time since that day she would admit aloud what was evident on her demeanor. She noted the looks both her and Vika received in the airport at their cold attitude towards each other. It was ironic to think that her effort to appear as unaffected as possible was actually putting her in evidence.  
  
Aliya’s voice was so soft that at first Pavel thought she hadn’t said anything at all, but then, in the back of his brain, the “Yes, I miss her a lot” rumbled loudly after a few seconds. There was so much sincerity in that apparent minor confession that for a second he really didn’t know what to say.  
  
“She is right there at the hotel. On the room next to yours. If you hurry, I bet you could be sitting at this same beach with her tonight.”  
  
The sad condescending smile she sent his way let him know that anything he said would be useless, because there was only one person that could mend Aliya.  
  
“I wish it was as easy as that. But it’s not. I am not going to look for her and she won’t come for me.”  
  
“I don’t believe it. When someone looks at you the way you two look at each other, nothing can stand in the way.”  
  
It was strange for Aliya to admit that a few months before she thought the same as him, but Vika had made her see that love is not always enough.  
  
“Maybe you won’t understand, but sometimes letting go of someone is a greater act of love than keeping them hostage of a love they no longer want.”  
  
Pavel’s smile surprised Aliya, as did the calm expression in his eyes.  
  
“You are wrong, I understand better than anybody, but that is not the case with Viktoria and you.”  
  
Aliya was taken aback by his response, she wondered if maybe there was more to Pavel that she ever imagined.  
  
“Have you ever been in love Pasha? Really in love, not just liking someone but feeling like, although you were happy without them before, after you meet them you realized there was a space within your soul that only could be fulfilled by them?”  
  
“Honestly? I have never feel like that.”  
  
“Well, I realized I was in love with Vika right here on this beach. I think I loved her almost since we meet, she was so little and people pressured her so much that I instantly felt an urge to protect her. In a way she was like a little sister to me, but it wasn’t until I saw her smile under the star’s light that my breath hitched, and I couldn’t breathe again until the touch of her lips gave me air.”  
  
Aliya had spent all day reliving her memories. It probably wasn’t healthy but it was inevitable. Mallorca was tied to her life forever and even if she tried her hardest, it was impossible to separate the smell of the island from her memory of the salty taste of Vika’s neck when she kissed it.   
  
Just being again at that beach made her nostalgic. In normal circumstances she would never talk so much about her feelings, but Mallorca had always made her do things she wasn’t used to.  
  
“Do you remember last year? When that huge wave hit us and we got really scared because we couldn’t swim against it, but just let it take us wherever it wanted and hope for the best?”  
  
Pavel is so focused on her tale that the only indication he gives of remembering the event is an almost imperceptible nod of his head.  
  
“Well, my love for Vika is like that wave. Everything was calm until my feelings for her hit me over the head and even though I wanted to fight them, at the end I just had to surrender and let them lead me to her while she continued her way without realizing the chaos she had left behind.”  
  
***  
  
 _Mallorca, the year before_  
  
Vika sat by the pool more out of obligation than out of real desire. If the girls had let her have her way, at that moment she would had been at the hotel room she was sharing with Ksenia, and not sitting under the burning sun feeling as if she was going to die of dehydration at any second.  
  
But apparently she was the only one unhappy with their current location. Tatiana and Maria were currently on their third layer of tan lotion and seemed pretty happy with the intense sun hitting their skin, while both Ksenias were by the poll sipping on some type of alcoholic drink served inside a coconut, called Coco Loco.  
  
Aliya was seated next to her. She had been the main culprit behind her current situation, as earlier she had come barging into her room with Tatiana by her side, and between the two of them and the later addition of Elena and Maria tugging at her hands and pushing her trough the door, she had had little choice but to come along.  
  
Fortunately it seemed as if making her go outside was their only real goal, because as soon as they got to the pool she was left alone. Unlike her friends she was fully clothed, with sweatpants and even her team jacket on, but nobody urged her to go and put a swimsuit on, They were probably afraid she wouldn’t come back, and they were right; she wouldn’t have if they let her go.  
  
Aliya was the only one paying attention to Viktoria at the moment. She was seated next to Vika, with her swimsuit on and a pair of big sunglasses covering her face. Viktoria could sense her eyes on her, and wondered how much time would pass before she had to listen to another futile attempt at consoling her.  
  
But Aliya just sat there looking at her through her smoked glasses. Sometimes she would get up and get a drink, but she never tried to speak with her. In a way it was a relief, for once Vika was grateful for Aliya’s reserved nature and her total dislike for gossip.  
  
As Aliya had been the only one not at Tokyo with her, she expected a lot of questions as soon as she got home, but Aliya asked about everything but that, probably waiting for Vika to come to her when she was ready.  
  
“Hey, I say its pool time!”, exclaimed Maria suddenly as she jumped in the pool taking Tatiana and Ksenia with her. At Viktoria’s side Aliya laughed and stood up.  
  
“Come on, Vika,” she said while taking her hand.  
  
“I am not in the mood, and I am fully clothed,” answered Viktoria while folding her arms. Aliya looked torn between fighting her and letting her be but at the end just shrugged, planted a kiss on Viktoria’s cheek and whispered onto her ear, “I am going to let you go this time, but don’t think I am letting you be depressed this whole trip.”   
  
While Aliya jumped in the pool and everybody was distracted Viktoria saw the perfect opportunity to sneak away to her room. What she didn’t notice was Aliya’s devilish grin and the encouraging nod Maria made her way.  
  
Viktoria had walked just a few steps when she feel a body pressed to her back, she knew it was Aliya as soon as water started dripping onto her clothes and the back of her jacket became wet at the contact. Besides, nobody else would have dared to do something like that.  
  
“Oh no!! you are not going to get away from me this easy Vika,” said a laughing Aliya apparently unaware of how annoyed Viktoria was getting.  
  
“Let me go Aliya,” answered Viktoria trough gritted teeth. Her answer was another kiss on the cheek and a whispered, “I think you need to have fun, and you are going to, even if you don’t want it.”  
  
Vika’s feet where suddenly in the air, and although she screamed, squirmed and cursed, it was more to be clear on the fact this was going to cost Aliya greatly than to prevent what was about to happen.  
  
Viktoria knew she was easy to carry, actually “The Carry Vika Game” was one of the favorites at the gym. Her teammates would sweep her off her feet at any moment just for the sake of it and get a point for every time they did so. Sometimes it got a little out of hand but usually it was fun. However, that game had taught her that there was nothing she could do to get out of Aliya’s hands.    
  
A second later she was holding her breath under the water, Aliya turned her on her arms and smiled that warm smile that usually made Viktoria’s heart flutter but this time only managed to infuriate her even more.  
  
“You’re an asshole, Aliya,” she spat as soon as she was out of the water.  
  
She probably was a sight to behold, walking as fast as she could with her clothes wet, her hair plastered to her face and looking at people with a death stare that would have made Aliya proud if it wasn’t for the fact it was caused by her.  
  
When she arrived at the room, Viktoria realized Aliya had been following her the whole time, which infuriated her even more.  
  
“What!” she yelled “Are you going to carry me back to the pool now?”  
  
Aliya seemed unfazed by Viktoria’s outburst as she responded calmly. “No, I’m sorry. Just wanted you to have fun but if you don’t want to be with the others at least let me make it up to you.”  
  
“I just want to be alone okay?” said Vika more calmly, already feeling a little guilty for snapping at Aliya and her good intentions.  
  
Aliya hugged her and kissed her head while speaking “Umm… I’m afraid I can’t leave you alone, but I have an idea. Why don’t you change and I will wait for you at the rooftop. Just take the elevator to the last floor, walk to the end of the hall and go up the stairs you will find there.”  
  
Vika tried to resist her, but Aliya was already out of the door and Viktoria was left alone dripping onto the expensive carpet of the hotel. It was obvious she wasn’t going to get rid of her friend anytime soon so she decided to stop fighting, changed into her comfortable blue pajamas and went to the rooftop to find her.  
  
There, in the middle of the roof, was Aliya. She was only wearing shorts and a purple shirt but she looked beautiful. At her feet Viktoria saw a big blanket with a few cushions and what appeared to be pizza and beer.  
  
Aliya ran towards Viktoria, took her hand and guided her until they were both seated on the blanket. They were comfortable with the silence, so they spent the next hour just enjoying each other presence, the peace of the rooftop and the view they had from there.  
  
After the pizza and some of the beers were gone Viktoria sat between Aliya’s legs and buried herself into her body.  
  
“How did you manage to do this?  
  
“I might had to bribe some of the employees of the hotel.”  
  
“Oh! Really?With what? It’s not as if we have tons of money with us.”  
  
“I offered them sexual favors,” said Aliya in a matter of fact tone.  
  
“WHAT?!”  
  
Aliya couldn’t resist and burst out laughing at Vika’s horrified face “I’m kidding, I borrowed the blanket and cushions from my room and the pizza and beer from the men’s team”.  
  
Vika just smiled and shoved Aliya on the shoulder. “You idiot,” she admonished while accommodating herself again between her arms. After a few minutes in silence Aliya spoke again.  
  
“Do you know a game called truth or dare?”  
  
“Um…Not really, what is it?”  
  
“I played it with the Americans gymnasts once. Basically you make a bottle turn and whoever it stops at has to choose between answering a question, usually very embarrassing, or doing a dare. Do you want to play?”  
  
“I don’t see how we can play just between the two of us.”  
  
“Trust me, I already have a great dare planned for you.”  
  
“Oh really? And what might that dare be?”  
  
“Well I can’t tell you until the bottle stops at you.”  
  
Aliya took a large gulp of her beer and used the empty bottle to start the game. As they were still seated in the same position, with Vika between Aliya’s legs, when the bottle stopped Aliya smiled and whispered “Truth or dare,Vika”.  
  
“Hey, why is it my turn? It’s pointing at you too.”  
  
“My game, my rules.”  
  
“Not fair…but okay. Dare.”  
  
Aliya turned a little so she was looking directly at Vika’s eyes.  
  
“I dare you to be happy.”  
  
Vika felt suffocated, she was lost in Aliya’s closeness and the only thing she wanted was to stay there forever. At that moment she was at peace, she felt all her body surrounded by a warm feeling but she didn’t know if she was happy. Content? Yes, happy? Not really.  
  
“You can’t dare someone to do that. It’s not something I can control.”  
  
The softness of Aliya’s eyes made the air get caught in Viktoria’s throat. She didn’t blink, didn’t breathe,totally trapped by the magnetic pull of Aliya. Viktoria felt a hand tracing her cheek and instinctively moved her face closer to it. She was immersed in the sensation of Aliya’s soft caress when a simple statement was uttered by the older girl “Well then, I dare myself to make you happy.”


	3. Chapter 3

Her best friend’s sadness pained Maria. She watched Viktoria attentively, plotting ways to make the haunted look that appeared on her eyes when nobody was looking go away. What made her mission (because she had decided it was her mission to make her friend happy) especially hard was the fact that Viktoria’s sadness was of a type she wasn’t used to seeing.  
  
If she had happened by chance to find Viktoria crying it would have been easy to just hold her and whisper reassuring words until she calmed down. But there were no tears, no obvious signs of discomfort, no anger, no bitterness; as a matter of fact to all appearances Vika was the poster child of teenage happiness: bubbly, excited at all the right times, friendly, and with a beautiful smile always ready to appear in front of her friends.  
  
The only reason Maria knew something was wrong was because she looked at Viktoria when nobody else did and saw the way her shoulders would sink after a big smile, how her eyes would be downcast even if she tried to appear excited, and especially how every time Aliya was near her chest would visibly constrict and her eyelids would shine with a soft moisture.  
  
When they arrived in Mallorca she saw how Viktoria was the only one who didn’t run towards the beach, the only one who didn’t giggle like a schoolgirl at having a big welcome cocktail. She just walked towards their shared room, sat on the bed with her legs crossed, and stared into the palm trees as if searching for the answer to a question only she knew.  
  
“What’s so interesting about the sky?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“You have been staring out the window for like an hour…Is everything alright?  
  
“Yeah! of course everything is alright,” she answered with a cheerful tone of voice Maria immediately knew was fake.  
  
“I’m just a little tired because of the trip. I think I’m going to take a nap,”  
  
continued Viktoria, and she laid on the bed and hugged the panda plush toy she had brought with her.  
  
Maria knew that attitude: it was the subdued, no fight left attitude that Viktoria always seemed to get trapped in whenever something affected her greatly. Usually she would tease Viktoria relentless until she gave up and told her what was bothering her, but in this case that approach seemed useless.  
  
There was just one option left: confront Aliya and find out what was happening. The fact that the usually inseparable duo had barely talked during the trip had not escaped Maria’s attention. Neither did the sad look on Aliya’s eyes or the muted “take care of her”.  
  
The blonde mass that had suddenly sprouted on her hip was definitely easy to notice too. That bothered her. If there was something Maria had always admired about Aliya it was the way Viktoria’s happiness came before anything, so the fact she was suddenly parading around happy with a boy while Viktoria sulked in their room didn’t sit well with her.  
  
* * *  
  
In her short life, Aliya had already learned that the only thing she really owned were her actions. She had no control over the fortuitous circumstances of life and the future was filled with too much uncertainty for her to worry about it.  
  
With that philosophy as her motto, she decided it was time to take action regarding the Vika situation. She couldn’t stop loving her, but she could at least start working on getting over her. Unfortunately, not everyone around her agreed that that was the best course of action for her.  
  
Shortly after the talk with Pavel, Aliya returned to her room. She had been lying on the bed for hours, trying to formulate a strategy that would help her forget her now ex-girlfriend, when Maria appeared at the door.  
  
“So are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?” she asked as she entered the room. She seemed torn between confusion and anger.  
  
For a moment Aliya considered throwing her out of the room, but decided against it as she knew it would only lead to hours and hours of Maria annoying her until she caved in to her demands. But that didn’t stop her from getting defensive at her friend’s words.  
  
“Well hello to you too,” she answered sarcastically. “And I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  
  
“Oh really? So it’s just a coincidence that you suddenly got a boyfriend and my best friend has been acting like a zombie? How could you do something like this to her?”  
  
Aliya sat up and fixed her eyes on Maria. The anger dancing inside the brown pupils scared the blonde girl, but what made her back away almost  
unconsciously was the coldness of the other’s girl voice.  
  
“Right, of course it was me. I’m the heartless bitch, after all.”  
  
Maria’s eyes immediately showed her remorse. She was known for being impulsive, but she was also known for being fiercely protective of her friends so the outburst was not unexpected. Aliya was actually surprised it had taken so long.  
  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. I just don’t get what’s going on and Vika refuses to talk to me. It’s like Tokyo all over again but ten times worse.”  
  
“I don’t know if it’s my place to tell you. She is your best friend after all.”  
  
“Bullshit! You’re my friend too… so out with it.”  
  
Aliya wasn’t sure whether Vika had ever told Maria the nature of their relationship, but at the same time they had never tried to hide it from her. In part because Maria was a near constant presence in their lives, in part because they knew she couldn’t care less about it, and mostly because Aliya had yelled at her once for being such a cockblock.  
  
Later Maria confessed she had been doing it on purpose just to annoy them as she suspected there was something going on between them.  
  
“Vika broke up with me,” Aliya said, trying to mask the hurt the words brought.  
  
“Umm…Okay. So when are you getting back together?”  
  
“Maria, I don’t think you understand the concept of breaking up. It’s when two people end their relationship.”  
  
“Aliya, I don’t think you understand the concept of getting back together. It’s when you make sure the other person understands how stupid they are being and how sad their life would be without you.”  
  
Aliya wondered if people really thought she had just let Viktoria walk out of her life without fighting. Or if they didn’t understand how hard it was to walk away herself.  
  
“Why does everybody think I can magically make Viktoria change her mind? It’s not like I didn’t try!”  
  
“Because everybody knows Vika is stubborn as hell, but you are ten times more persistent.”  
  
“Well, this time she beat me.”  
  
“I don’t buy it…There are just two things in life I am completely sure about. One of them is that Vika and you are meant to be.”  
  
“Well you got at least that one wrong. What’s the other one?”  
  
“That I am smoking hot.”  
  
Aliya laughed and threw a pillow at her blonde friend. It was so Maria to make a joke out of a serious conversation, but it was exactly what she needed. After they stopped laughing, Maria silently climbed into bed and laid her head on Aliya’s stomach.  
  
“How are you handling everything? And don’t try to act all tough and say you’re fine.”  
  
Aliya laughed a little at her predictability but deep down she was glad to have friends who could see through her walls, able to tell when they shouldn’t trespass but also knowing when she needed someone to jump over them.  
  
“I feel better than I did a few weeks ago, but I’m not okay. It would help if I could stop replaying our moments together in my head.”  
  
Maria jumped to an upright position on the bed with a face full of excitement. Her smile was so bright she looked as if every problem on the universe could be solved by the great idea she had just had.  
  
“I know just what you need. Alcohol!”  
  
“Masha, I know you think alcohol is the solution for everything but I already tried and ended making out with my pillow thinking it was Vika.”  
  
Maria collapsed on the bed in a fit of giggles that lasted a good five minutes, unfazed by Aliya’s refusal. When she spoke again she did it while taking huge gasps of air in an attempt to contain her laughter.  
  
“I would have killed to see that! Was the pillow at least a good kisser?”  
  
“Shut up!”  
  
After another five minutes of Maria’s continuous laughter and Aliya’s death stare - that only served to make Maria laugh even more - the blonde girl assumed a thoughtful tone of voice as she settled against Aliya again.  
  
“I’ve always wondered what it would be like to kiss a girl.”  
  
“What are you talking about, Masha? You’ve kissed more girls than I have.”  
  
“Well yeah, but just for fun. Never anyone I really had feelings for.”  
  
* * *  
  
 _Mallorca, one year previously_  
  
Being the first one to kiss is a supreme act of bravery. To gather enough courage to expose oneself to the possibility of rejection, totally vulnerable in front of someone else, was one of the most difficult things Aliya could imagine anyone doing.  
  
As she stole another glance to her left her eyes stopped on Viktoria’s face, on the soft glow of her pale skin, in contrast to the green of her eyes against the dark sky. Not for the first time she wondered why she was seeing Viktoria more beautiful that night, more her.  
  
“I’m getting cold. We should go.”  
  
“No.”  
  
“No?”  
  
“No.”  
  
Vika just shrugged as she took the towel they had been laying on and put it around their shoulders. Any other person would have demanded an explanation but Viktoria had an implicit trust in Aliya and a deep understanding of how apparently detached she would appear, when in reality there were swirling of emotions inside her she needed to control.  
  
The minutes passed and Aliya didn’t explain why they had been sitting on the same spot for hours. She didn’t voice the reasons she had for making them stay out on the beach until the early morning either. She couldn’t explain to Viktoria she had decided that night would be the last one she was going to live without kissing her, but she just needed a little more time to get her body to function properly.  
  
Aliya found the fact she was so distressed at the prospect of trying to kiss the woman sitting beside her quite ironic, as usually she was the one rejecting others people advances.  
  
She was practically an expert at dodging lips. She didn’t do it out of spite or bad intentions. She simply never managed to understand the possibility of kissing someone just because, just out of curiosity, of want or impulse. For Aliya every kiss was a promise.  
  
Her only real error was not recognizing the unmistakable signals, those that are always obvious before someone decides to embark on the dangerous mission of kissing someone. Hence she always found herself obliged to turn her head in a quick motion when the other person’s lips were about to touch hers.  
  
She can’t help thinking karma will want to punish her for so many unrequited kisses by putting her in the rejected position. Fortunately she had the three hours left before the sunrise to gather the courage needed to take the risk.  
  
The other reason for her nerves was that the kiss she was going to give Vika was going to be her first kiss. Technically speaking she had kissed people before, but it was going to be her first kiss because at the start of the night she had decided it deserved that status. Aliya’s heart and senses told her that from the moment Viktoria’s lips finally touched hers no other moment of her life prior to it would have the same meaning.  
  
The reflection of the moon dancing on the calm surface of the sea was what finally gave Aliya the courage she was seeking. If the sky had been brave enough to kiss the night every dawn, if the ocean managed to merge itself with the sun at every sunrise, she was definitely capable of putting a pair of mouths together.  
  
After one last deep breath Aliya used the arm she had around Viktoria to gently turn the others girl face in her direction while her other hand cupped  
her face. Even though she had been waiting hours for this moment she didn’t feel the need to rush it.  
  
Just the flicker of expectation on those green eyes she had so close made Aliya’s heart swoon. She got lost in them for what seemed like an eternity and almost forgot her intentions when she saw the stars reflected in the dilated pupils of Viktoria.  
  
When Aliya’s lips finally arrived on her destiny the air was slowly ripped out of her lungs as she was filled with a warm feeling that left no room for anything else. All the tension left her body and she literally feel so light she could fly, but she didn’t because that would have meant ending the contact with Vika.  
  
Aliya knew Viktoria was responding to the kiss because in the back of her mind she was still conscious enough to recognize the movement of the lips over her own and the faint touch of fingertips on her ribs.  
  
Aliya realized then that kissing someone wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be; the difficult part was pulling apart when you know the lips in front of you are destined to be yours forever.  
  
When Aliya finally opened her eyes Viktoria had the biggest smile she had seen on her for a while. Neither of them said anything as there are certain times when words become unnecessary, even an inconvenience.  
  
Why do you need words when you can hug someone with all the strength you can muster? Why would you talk when the sound of two galloping hearts is filling your eardrums?  
  
* * *  
  
Aliya smiled as she looked at Maria with a dreamy look on her face.  
  
“I don’t know what kissing a girl is like, but kissing the girl you love is the best feeling in the world.”  
  
“Please, don’t get all sappy on me.”  
  
The mocking tone of Maria didn’t stop Aliya from getting hit by a wave of sadness.  
  
“Who else I am going to get sappy with if not you?”  
  
Maria had never seen Aliya Mustafina depressed, and she had never thought she would see her defeated. Even in her lowest moments she would look proud and ready to pounce on whoever dared to doubt her. But at that moment her eyes betrayed a kind of fear that only someone who has loved and lost could understand.  
  
Aliya’s vulnerability shook Maria as if it were her own. She finally understood how wrong she had been to think she needed Aliya to fix Viktoria when in reality it was Viktoria who controlled the cards to their future happiness or demise. Maria smiled with the knowledge she now had a mission to fulfill.  
  
“And now you’re getting depressed… God I can’t keep up with so many girly feelings. But don’t worry, I promise that by the end of the week I will make sure you and Vika are getting their sweet lady kisses on.”


	4. Chapter 4

Viktoria felt relieved when Maria left the room. She loved her friend, but at that moment she needed to be alone. Time seemed to stop as Viktoria lay out on the bed only moving once to get a worn-out lace out of her bag.

She hadn’t cried since the night at Aliya’s house. She hurt, but she didn’t cry. She really didn’t know why, as tears were something that usually came easily for her. Maybe the pain she was feeling was so big it overflowed her soul to the point shedding tears was impossible.

By restraining her tears she understood that crying isn’t always a synonymous with pain. Sometimes sadness express itself with dry tears because the hurt is much more deep than what a salty wetness traveling down your cheeks can explain.

Amid of her sadness Viktoria constantly wondered if she was making the right choice. She remembered how when she was a little kid she had asked her parents what love was. She was told then that every person’s life is a line and the universe is a huge blank canvas in which our story is drawn.

Love, they said, is when a combination of circumstances causes two lines to meet. Sometimes they barely touch before continuing their path. While other times they merge, mingle, tangle, until it becomes impossible to separate them. The problem Viktoria had was that the harder she tried to pull away from Aliya the more tangled their life lines seemed to get.

Viktoria often let her feelings dictate her actions. It wasn’t unusual for her to have to backtrack her words. It was almost a tradition. When she got frustrated at the gym she would exclaim “I’m done with this,” and proceed to leave for hours, even days. Gennady didn’t run after her anymore; he already knew she would come back.

Her break up with Aliya was similar. As soon as she started to feel the emptiness caused by Aliya’s absence she regretted her choice. She would have run back into her arms if it weren’t for two reasons. The first; after the pain she knew she had caused the other girl it seemed insulting to just try to act as if nothing had happened. The second; the blonde guy Aliya had replaced her with. Maybe it was better for both of them if Viktoria followed her example and forgot about their damned relationship.

Yes, they had promised each other forever. But even fairy tales have an end. Maybe this was theirs.  
  
* * *  
  
 _Round Lake, November 2011_

Viktoria was furious. She felt stupid, used, cheated and mostly disappointed. Aliya was absolutely charming when she wanted to be and Viktoria was a fool -she thought- for falling for her act.

Everybody at Round Lake knew of the rumors about Tatiana and Aliya past relationship. Nobody knew for certain, but their closeness was obvious. Viktoria tried, she really did, to shake the discomfort she felt every time Aliya hugged Tatiana a little too long or laughed too hard at the other’s girl words.

Viktoria knew she had no real reason to distrust Aliya. After all, what she was doing wasn’t any different from how she usually acted near her best friend. She couldn’t complain either of lack of attention. Aliya dedicated to her almost all of her free time. Even if they were not yet clear about the nature of their relationship the amount of kisses, gifts and sweet words shared, should had made Viktoria feel secure enough.

The problem wasn’t Aliya. The problem was Tatiana and her overly flirtatious nature. Nobody was supposed to know about her and Aliya. But Viktoria could swear she saw Tatiana smile and look at her every time she ran her hand suggestively over Aliya’s arm.

That evening it was just too much. Viktoria was walking towards Aliya’s room when she saw the girl standing against the doorframe still on her workout clothes. Tatiana was standing in front of her, closer than necessary. Her right arm was on Aliya’s waist, while the other was just besides her face successfully supporting herself against the door and at the same time trapping Aliya very close to her body.

If Viktoria had been part of a cartoon there would had been smoke coming out of her ears. But as she was not, she opted for clenching her jaw and striding confidently towards the pair. In her infuriated state she missed how Aliya’s eyes shone brightly as she hugged her.

“Vika!! Sorry I’m not ready yet for our movie night. Just give me a second to change. ok?” exclaimed Aliya while kissing her on the cheek as was usual between them.

“Sure,” was Viktoria short reply. Her eyes remained fixated on Tatiana. The other blonde smiled. A friendly smile in Aliya’s eyes. A threatening smirk in Vika’s view.

“Oh! How cute! you are having a girls night. Mind if I join?”

“Yes,”

“No,”

Answered Aliya and Viktoria at the same time.

“Little V, don’t be like that. You have been hogging Aliya since we came back from Mallorca and there are other people here who want a piece of her,” replied Tatiana.

Viktoria was torn between ripping Tatiana’s head off and killing Aliya for caring so little about their unofficial date.

“Tatiana is right, we have barely spent time with our friends lately, it will be fun to have a sleepover. Why don’t you go invite the other girls while I get everything ready?”

Viktoria wasn’t sure her mumbled response was heard by Aliya and Tatiana as they were too busy gushing to each other about what they should do on the sleepover.

Half an hour later they were all piled on Aliya’s bed seeing a horror movie Viktoria couldn’t care less about. Well, all the girls were seeing a horror movie; Viktoria was witnessing her own personal hell. It seemed as if with every scary moment on screen Tatiana found a way to climb more over Aliya. By the end of the movie she was practically laying on her lap, clutching Aliya by the shoulders and with her face buried on the brown haired girl chest.

Aliya’s hands were around Tatianas waist. She would laugh in time with Tatiana’s screams and whisper reassuring words to the girl. From time to time she would turn and met Viktoria’s eyes with a warm smile, apparently unaware of how frustrating it was for Vika to see her like this.

“I’m tired of this shit,” exclaimed Viktoria finally while standing up and getting out of the door.

“Umm… I know this is not the best movie ever but I had no idea Vika disliked it so much,” Maria said, in an attempt to fill the awkward silence that followed Viktoria’s departure.

“You girls try to not destroy the room. I will go see what’s the deal with Vika,” Aliya said.

She did have a fairly good idea of what was happening but she hadn’t addressed it before on the slight chance it was just her imagination. Obviously it was not.

Finding Viktoria wasn’t difficult. She was on her room lying on the bed, hugging one of the many plush toys she had. As soon as Aliya entered she frowned and pouted in a way that was supposed to seem intimidating but only served to make Aliya think she was adorable.

The posture of the smaller girl didn’t change. She keep hugging her toy as a small girl would do when scared, giving a helpless appearance that contrasted with the cutting tone of her voice.

“Won’t your girlfriend wonder where you are?”

Aliya wondered how she should approach the situation. If she choose to call Vika out on her irrational, in Aliya’s opinion, behaviour, things for them would probably end bad. Her dad, a man experienced in handling three sometimes hysterical women, always said the better course of action when discussing with a woman was to try to be as conciliatory as possible. Aliya followed his advice.

“Well, my girlfriend is right in front of me so I don’t see why she would be wondering where I am.”

“Your other girlfriend, I mean.”

The sigh Aliya let out was a mix between resigned and exasperated. Still, when she spoke her voice was full of love.

“There is only one person my heart belongs to and that is you.”

Although Victoria’s resolve was starting to falter she held onto her anger out of sheer pride. She hated to admit when she was wrong.

“Say what you want, but it certainly didn’t look like it to me a minute ago.”

“Vika, even if seeing you get jealous is kind of cute, I need you to trust me if we are going to make this work. I just can’t use a ‘Keep out. Private property’ shirt even if you would like me to. Besides, you know how Tatiana is. She is all touchy with everybody”.

“Really? ‘cause I think she enjoys touching you maybe a little too much…And I’m not sure you don’t enjoy it either. Or at least used to enjoy it”.

Aliya literally felt like a light bulb went on over her head. She was so stupid for not seeing it before. She tough Viktoria’s jealously was a one-time thing. Now she could see there was a lot more behind her behaviour.

Aliya walked towards the bed and, taking Viktoria’s head in her hands, stared right into the other girl’s eyes in an effort to make sure Viktoria understood she was serious about their relationship and sincere on her words.

“Vika, I can’t erase what I have done before but I can try to write a new story. If you let me I would like to write that story with you.”

The way Viktoria’s gaze softened let Aliya know she was getting through the girl. Just by chance she saw a worn-out shoelace hanging near the bed post and reached for it.

“I remember the story you told me Vika. You see this,” she said, while holding the lace in front of Viktoria’s face.

“This lace is you and me. And this,” she continued speaking at the same time her fingers worked to make a tight knot.

“This represents how our lives are tied now forever. You are everything I want Vika. If someday you have a doubt about us just look at this and remember that I love you and intend to never let go.”

Viktoria just flew herself into Aliya’s arms slightly teary eyed. “I’m sorry I’ve been so silly. I love you too,” she said right before planting a small kiss on Aliya’s lips.

They hugged and lay on the bed together, completely forgetting about the sleepover they were supposed to be at. Aliya was so happy they had managed to resolve their first official fight that she just smiled softly when Viktoria’s sleepy voice reached her ears once again.

“I wouldn’t mind if you used the ‘Private property’ shirt anyway.”

“I will make sure to get one, my love.”  
  
* * *  
  
 _Mallorca_

Maria had heard a lot of times that is better to have loved and lost that not have loved at all. She never understood the pessimistic tone of that sentence because it implied every love has an end and that if you decided to take the risk of handing you heart to somebody you should be prepared for the pain it would cause, even if it was better than being alone.

Her over romantic nature had made her the butt of jokes by their teammates since she was a little kid. They thought she fell in love too quickly, too easily. She, instead, thought love was not something you should fight against.

When Maria looked at Aliya and Viktoria, she saw everything she had always dreamed for herself. The way each one of them brought out the best in the other was admirable. As was how there was no need for words between them because with just one look or a subtle touch they understood what the other wanted.

Aliya was strong and determined; she protected Viktoria from others and from Vika herself, but when the occasion called for it she was able to surrender herself without fear. The opposite was also true. Viktoria could be demanding and spoiled, but in the days Aliya seemed about to break down she was able to be her strength.

Maria knew sometimes relationship fall apart. But she was convinced Aliya and Viktoria still had a lot of their story together left to write. Love can fade away. That is a reality. However, when she looked at her two teammates she could see the love they had for each other as clear as ever.

It tired Maria to fight against two persons as stubborn as her friends. But she had made a promise to herself and she intended to keep it. If Aliya and Viktoria had surrendered she would have to fight for them.

Maria’s plan was simple. She was going to convince each one of them of giving their relationship another chance. She approached Aliya first. She suspected she would be the easier of the two. She wasn’t wrong. It took Maria just a couple of words to confirm what she already knew.

“It had been two days since our last conversation and I still don’t see you making any effort to get Vika back,” whispered Maria while sitting on the sand next to Aliya.

The whole National Team was at that moment gathered in a huge beach party nobody really knew who had started and Maria didn’t want to risk being overheard by some of the boys.

“Maria, I told you I’m not bothering Vika anymore. If she doesn’t want to be with me I have to respect that.”

“You know, Aliya Mustafina, I never pegged you for a quitter.”

“I’m not a quitter. But you have no idea how many times I have tried to convince Vika to change her mind. At the end, leaving her alone is the last gift I can give her.”

If it had been any other person Maria wouldn’t had believed them. But the sincerity on Aliya’s eyes was beyond discussion. The brown haired girl was really willing to sacrifice her feelings to give Viktoria what she claimed to want.

“O.K. I’m not going to pester you anymore. But I need to ask you something. If Viktoria asks you, would you take her back?”

“Without a second thought.”

One down, one to go  
  
* * *  
  
Aliya forced a smile when she felt Pavel’s hands going around her waist. She didn’t want to attract attention to herself but she really hated the feeling of inadequacy she always got when he tried to be charming with her.

She was used to being the one doing the holding too much to being able to enjoy laying in someone’s else embrace. Although he was a good friend, his closeness only served to remind her of the fact it wasn’t his arms the ones she longed for.

Even if the bonfire was burning in front of her, Aliya felt cold. The wood cracked filling her eardrums with its sound. Around her people laughed, danced, screamed. She laughed, danced, screamed, at the appropriate times but her mind was focused on only one thing: Viktoria.

She could see her sitting a few steps away. Her shoulders crouched in that defeated posture she hated to see on her so much. It took Aliya all the self-control she had to not run towards Viktoria. She had promised to take care of the younger girl, to make sure she was always happy. It pained her to break that promise, but how could she comfort her when she was the reason of her sadness?

Aliya saw Maria walk towards Viktoria. She felt relieved to know there was at least someone there for her. Yes, a part of Aliya felt her heart constrict when she saw the light hearted laugh of Viktoria, the same laugh she hadn’t hear in what felt like forever. She had to fight against the jealousy brewing inside her, but at the end the gratitude she felt towards Maria was the only feeling left.

Aliya wanted to stop the hope that was starting to invade her thoughts. She couldn’t. Even if she had spent the week fooling herself into thinking she could get over Viktoria, the truth was she didn’t want to. It was unlike her to let someone else do the work she should do herself; however, in this particular case she needed Maria’s help.

Although everybody knew she was extremely reserved, they also knew she was painfully honest. If there was something Aliya didn’t want to share she just remained silent; if she choose to open up every word was always full of meaning and honesty. Still, there was something she lied to Maria about.

It was true she had tried several times to no avail to get Viktoria back. But all of those times were just a few days after their break up, when Viktoria was still firm in her decision.

Aliya knew Viktoria better than anybody. She was reactive, impulsive and proud. Right now she was sure that if she tried again Viktoria would without a doubt accept her back.

The reason she didn’t look for her again was that she needed Viktoria to take that decision for herself. She needed to make sure that if they got back together they were not going to fall in and endless circle of Viktoria’s insecurities destroying their relationship. If Maria helped a little in the process, Aliya didn’t mind at all.

Aliya was not sure how much time passed in between when she saw Maria speak to Viktoria and the moment she realized Viktoria was walking towards her. Everything around her that night had moved at light speed while her brain remained still on a world of her own waiting for the inevitable outcome.

She had been stealing glances at Viktoria all night; trying to read in her face the decisions she was taking just a few feet away. When she saw Viktoria stepping up, the coldness she had been feeling all night increased until almost freezing her. She had been waiting for this moment for weeks; it was terrifying to know it had finally come. Either they would be fine again or over forever.

They both stood unmoved, rooted to the sand. Each one getting lost on the other’s eyes. Aliya stared into Viktoria’s green orbs thinking about how beautiful they were and how during the early mornings of the year before she was never able to decide what color she liked more. If the aquamarine tone of the Mallorcan sea or the vivid green of Viktoria’s gaze.

When Viktoria closed the space between the two, Aliya was unable to contain her emotion. She had already fought too much against herself to stop the urge of welcoming Viktoria again into her arms, into her life.

She smiled, as she always did when Viktoria invaded her senses. “I’ve been waiting for you, Vika.”

“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”

“Is okay. As long as you intend on staying.”

“I’m never leaving again. I promise.”

There were noises around them. People ran from one side to the other splashing water, yelling, rolling on the sand one over the other. Aliya and Viktoria didn’t notice any of this. They didn’t see the resigned look on Pavel’s face nor the small smile Maria had. They only had eyes for each other. They only had ears for the sound of the other’s breathing. They only had enough clarity to connect their hands in a hold that promised each other eternity.

They walked away not caring for anything else but themselves. Neither was really watching where they were going; but both of them following the steps that were embedded on their memory as the road that had allowed them to be happy.  
  
* * *  
  
The sun rose with a soft purple glow casting its shadow over the two bodies lying in the sand. Together, lost in each other’s arms, they saw the night disappear in front of their eyes.

Aliya kissed Viktoria’s shoulder and tightened her hold on her. “I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.” Viktoria didn’t say anything. She just kissed the top of Aliya’s nose and smiled.

They wanted to spend the rest of their time in Mallorca just like that. But they knew they had to go back to their rooms. However, now both of them had a renewed faith in their love. They knew things wouldn’t always be perfect. There was going to be fights and disagreements but they would get over them together.

When Aliya took Viktoria’s hand in order to help her get up she felt a small object poking the back of her hand. Her furrowed eyebrows made Viktoria smile. She got up on her tiptoes and kissed Aliya.

“Someday you are going to get that look stuck in your face.”

“I know you would love me anyway,” she said, instinctively relaxing her face before inquiring about what have caused the furrowed eyebrows in the first place. “What do you have in your hand?”

Viktoria clasped their hands together making sure Aliya wasn’t able to see what she was holding.

“Almost a year ago you gave me this and told me we would be tied together forever. I want you to be the one to have it now. I don’t intend to run away again, but if I do, I want you to remember I will always find my way back to you.”


End file.
